Air-valve for steam-radiators



(No Model.)

J. POULSON.

AIR VALVE FOR STEAM RADIATORS.

No. 442,911. Patented Dec. 16, 1890.

irweni'or:

7 R zwww l m 1 WWW F k cu., amromnm, wAsnmrrrnn, n. c.

. UNITED STATES PATENT 'OFFl-CE.

JOSEPH POULSON, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TO THEPHILADELPHIA EXHAUST VENTILATOR COMPANY, OF PENNSYLVANIA.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 442,911, dated December16, 1890.

Application filed June 20, 189i). Serial No. 356,161. (No-model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, JOSEPH POULsON, of the city and county ofPhiladelphia, and State of Pennsylvania, have invented an Improvement inAir-Valves for Steam-Radiators, of which the following is aspecification.

My invention has reference to air-valves for steam-radiators; and itconsists of certain improvements, all of which are fully set forth inthe following specification and shown in the accompanying drawings,which form a part thereof.

In carrying out my invention Icombine the valve proper with a suitablyconstructed spring formed,preferably, of two metals having differentdegrees of expansibility under heat,-the action of which spring willtend to open the valve when the radiator is cold, but will allow thevalve to closeupon the expulsion of the air and the free admission ofsteam to the radiator." I provide, if desired, an auxiliary springhaving much less power than the spring above mentioned, the saidauxiliaryspring being employed to positively actuate the air-valve toclose it upon its seat as soon as the resistance of the first-mentionedspring has been removed. I also provide an adjusting-screw to vary thelocation of the first-mentionedspring within the chamber of the airvalve for the purpose of increasing or decreasing its power of actionupon the valve proper.

The details of construction are clearly set out in the accompanyingdrawings, in which Figure 1 is a side elevation of a radiator, showingmy improved air-valve applied there to. Fig. 2 is a sectional elevationon line of Fig. 3, illustrating my improved air-valve. Fig. 3 is asectional elevation of same on line y y of Fig. 2, and Fig. 4. is asectional plan view of same 011 line 0: 0c of Fig. 2.

A is the radiator, and Bis the air-valve, ap-

plied thereto in the customary position.

Referring specifically to the details of my improved air-valve, O is acasing, to which is secured a nipple I), adapted to be screwed into theside of the radiator. An aperture is formed through the side of thecasing O, terminating in a valve-seat E upon its end adjacent to theradiator, and working through this aperture is the stem G of theair-valve F.

A delicate spring It may be employed between the air-valve and nipple Dfor closing the air-valve upon its seat when the action of thespring Iis removed by heat.

I is a spring, preferably of an inverted-U shape, bent upon itself at L,and preferably formed with one leg longer than the other, the shorterleg being secured to the casing C by a bolt P. This spring is formed oftwo metals-such as iron K and copper J brazed together, and the longerleg or arm thereof is extended toward and receives the end of the stem Gof the air-valve, as shown in Fig. 2. If desired, this end of the stemmay be screwthreaded or otherwise formed for attachment to the free endof the spring I.

O is a cap secured to the casing O and. in closing the bend L of thespring I. This cap is provided with an escape-aperture N and holds anadj Listing-screw M, which is adapted to be pressed upon the bend ofspring I to adjust it with reference to its action upon the air-valveproper.

The operation will now be understood. The

radiator being cold, and the parts in the po-' sition as indicated inFig. 2,if we admit steam to the radiator the air contained in the saidradiator will be blown through the nipple D and under the valve Fthrough the aperture into the casing O, escaping by the aperture N or byan aperture which may be formed. as

at N, Fig. 2. As soon as the air has been driven out, steam passesthrough the air-valve and heats the spring I, causing its free end tomove away from the valve F. This action permits the spring H and thesteam back of the valve to close the valve F upon its seat E, preventingthe escape of more steam, and the action of this spring H, inconjunction with the pressure of the steam on the back of the valve F,holds the latter tightly upon its seat until the steam is shut off andtheradiator becomes cool again. It is evident that the movement of thespring I may be utilized to positively draw the valve F against its seatE, obviating the necessity of the spring H; but in practice I prefer toemploy both springs H and I. As soon as the valve F has closed upon itsseatE, the steam-supply to the spring I ceases; but the spring stillremains warm from conduction through the various parts,

and the pressure of the steam against the back of the valve prevents anytendency of the spring I forcing the valve open. As soon as the radiatorhas become cold the pressure upon the Valve F has been removed, and ifcondensation has taken place in the radiator a tendency to a vacuumwould be produced, which, with the action of the spring I, wouldpositively move the valve 1 oft its seat E and permit the entrance ofair to destroy the vacuum, and bring the parts in proper position forthe further elimination of the air when steam is once more turned uponthe radiator.

It is evident that the spring I need not be U-shaped, and, broadlyconsidered, it may be made of a single metal, as the heating tendencywould make it move away from the valve-seat E upon the passage of steam,and thus allow the valve F to close upon its seat, as above described.

Having now described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is-

l. An air-valve forsteam-radiators, consisting of an air'nozzle ornipple for attachment tothe radiator, a chamber or casing adjacentthereto having a passage-way communicating with said air'nozzle ornipple and provided with a valve-seat in said passage-way, a valve forsaid valve-seat having a stem projecting through said passage-way intothe chamber formed by the casing, and a compound spring formed of metalsof different expansibilities, located in said casing, acting positivelyupon the projecting stem of said valve to normally open it, and adaptedwhen heated to remove its pressure and permit the valve to close,whereby the steam from the radiator acts upon said compound spring onlywhen the valve is open.

2. An air-valve for steam-radiators, consisting of an air nozzle ornipple for attachment to the radiator, a chamber or casing adjacentthereto having a passage-way communicating with said air nozzle ornipple and provided with a valve-seat in said passage-way, a valve forsaid valve-seat, having a stem projecting through said passage-way intothe chamber formed by the cas1ng,a

compound spring formed of metals of different expansibilities, locatedin said casing, acting positively upon the projecting stem of said valveto normally open it, and adapted when heated to remove its pressure andpermit the valve to close, whereby the steam from the radiator acts uponsaid compound spring only when the valve is open, and a removable cap orcover carried by sa d casing and inclosing said spring.

3. An air-valve for steam-radiators, consisting of an air nozzle ornipple for attachment to the radiator, a casing adjacent to saidair-nozzle, forming a chamber, provided with a passage-way communicatingwith the air nozzle or nipple, said passage-way having a valve-seatlocated adjacent to the air nozzle or nipple, a valve for saidvalve-seat having a stem projecting through said passage-way into thechamber formed by the casing, a compound spring formed of metals ofdifferent expansibilities, located in said chamber, and actingpositively upon the stem of said valve to normally open it, an auxiliaryspring arranged adjacent to the valve, tending normally to close it,whereby said compound spring is acted upon by the steam from theradiator only when said valve is open, and when heated removes itspressure from the stem of said valve and permits the auxiliary spring toclose it.

4. An air-valve for steam radiators, consisting of an air nozzle ornipple for attachment to the radiator, a casing adjacent to saidair-nozzle, forming a chamber, provided with a passage-Way communicatingwith the air nozzle or nipple, said passage-way having a valve-seatlocated adjacent to the air nozzle or nipple, a valve for saidvalve-seat having a stem projecting through saidpassageway into thechamber formed by the casing, a compound spring formed of metals ofdifferent expansibilities, located in said chamber, and actingpositively upon the stem-of said valve to normally open it, an auxiliaryspring arranged adjacent to the valve, tending normally to close it,whereby said compound spring is acted upon by the steam from theradiator only when said valve is open, and when heated removes itspressure from thestem of said valve and permits the auxiliary spring toclose it, and an adjusting-screw carried by the inclosing-casing andbearing upon the compound spring to adjust it.

5. As an article of manufacture, an airvalve for a steam-radiator,consisting of a casing 0, provided with a nozzle I) for attachment tothe radiator and formed with a passage-way communicating with saidnozzle, a valve in said passage-way, a compound spring in the casingact-ing upon the valve, and a removable cap or cover 0, carried by theeasing and inclosing the spring.

(5. As an article of manufacture, an airvalve for a steam-radiator,consisting of a casing C, provided with a nozzle D for attachment to theradiator and formed with a passage-way communicating with said nozzle, avalvcin said passage-way, a compoundspring in the casing acting upon thevalve, and aremovable cap or cover 0, carried by the casing andinclosing the spring, and provided with an adj Listing-screw M, bearingupon the compound spring.

In testimony of which invention I have hereunto set my hand.

' JOSEPH POUL'SON.

Witnesses:

ALEXANDER RIcKEY, CHAS. F. SIMMONS.

IlC

